Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Dallas: Final Score 3-1 as Lions Clinch Playoff Spot with First Road Win at Dallas

Orlando City is in the postseason for the fifth straight year, thanks to goals by Ramiro Enrique, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Facundo Torres.

Published

2 months ago

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City continues to score goals in bunches, bouncing back from last week’s loss at Colubus with a 3-1 win over FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, TX. Ramiro Enrique, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Facundo Torres scored to lead the Lions (13-11-7, 46 points) to their first road win ever against FC Dallas (10-14-7, 37 points). Orlando City clinched a playoff spot with the win.

Things got nervy at the end, as Paul Arriola scored from the penalty spot after a foul in the box by Nico Lodeiro, and FC Dallas had a second goal overturned due to Arriola being offside in the buildup.

“One more time we qualify for the playoffs. It’s a credit for the group of players that had a big heart and a big love for the club too, and a lot of passion for what they do,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “So, I’m very happy. It’s a special night today, coming here to Dallas, in a very difficult city to play against, and we won, scored three goals. We played an excellent (first) 75 minutes, and the reaction of Dallas in the last part was very good as well. Complicated the game, but we finally clinched, and that was the first objective, and we’re happy.”

Pareja’s lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Schlegel, and Kyle Smith, with Dagur Dan Thorhallsson out with a lower leg injury. Cesar Araujo returned from suspension to play in the central midfield with Wilder Cartagena behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Torres, with Enrique up top.

Orlando City held most of the possession in the first half, but didn’t create much out of it. Some of that was due to unselfishness, turning down shooting opportunities to try to play in a teammate, and then sending in a poor return ball that the FC Dallas was able to intercept. The crossing also left a lot to be desired at times, including just three minutes into the match, when Santos had space on the left but sent the ball in for Maarten Paes to easily catch.

Petar Musa had the first good look for Dallas in the 15th minute, taking the ball wide of Cartagena and fizzing a shot over Gallese’s crossbar.

The Lions broke the scoreless deadlock three minutes later. Santos got his cross right this time, sending in a near-post ball. Enrique got across the much larger Omar Gonzalez and sent a glancing header just under the bar past Paes to open the scoring in the 18th minute. It was Orlando City’s first-ever road goal at Dallas.

Ojeda nearly doubled the lead two minutes later. Left with space just outside the area, the Argentine smashed a shot toward goal. Paes did well to get down to make the save. Ojeda’s placement was too close to the goalkeeper, otherwise the Lions would have had a two-goal advantage in the 20th minute.

Arriola had a go from outside the area in the aftermath of a Dallas corner in the 27th minute, forcing Gallese to get down to make a good save.

Musa thought he’d scored for Dallas in the 31st minute off an Arriola cross but there was an obvious push by the midfielder on Angulo to win the ball back and Orlando was correctly awarded a free kick.

The Lions were slow to close down in the 35th minute and it was nearly a costly mistake, as a cross found Arriola’s head at the near post. His back-post effort was just wide of goal.

Ojeda made a great cutback pass to Enrique in the box in the 39th minute but the striker got under his shot and fired it high into the crowd.

Arriola’s cross for Musa late in the half was caught in the air by Gallese, and the Dallas striker took a hit in the ensuing collision but was able to continue.

The last good chance of the half fell to Orlando as Enrique stole the ball in the attacking third. He had an opportunity to shoot from the right, but he opted instead to try to pick out a teammate and the Dallas defense intercepted his pass.

At the half, the Lions held the advantage in possession (60.2%-39.8%), shots (4-3), shots on target (2-1), and passing accuracy (94.4%-86.8%). Both teams earned two corner kicks in the opening period.

Although it was only a 1-0 lead at the break, Orlando dominated the first half of the game.

“I thought it was a clear idea that we had with the players during the week, after our game in Columbus, that we wanted to have more domination of the ball and more compromise, and trying to look for the spaces with personality,” Pareja said. “That was our compromise with the players. And I think that is what I saw on the pitch. I saw them moving everywhere and provided support to their teammates when they had the ball. Our line of passing was very correct, the occupation of the spaces as well. So, we had a very complete half.”

FC Dallas changed shape in the second half but not much changed. Orlando conceded more of the possession but was able to add to its lead and could (and should) have scored even more than the two it got in the second half.

Dallas got the first chance of the second period in the 50th minute when a deflected ball fell for Musa, who volleyed it toward goal but couldn’t keep his shot down.

Just seconds after that miss, the Lions doubled their lead. A dangerous cross from Smith on the right was intended for Angulo at the back post but former Lion Ruan knocked it behind for a corner. Ojeda sent in a good delivery and Schlegel attacked it in the air, powering a header into the upper right corner to make it 2-0 in the 51st minute.

“It’s obviously something that we work on constantly throughout the week,” Schlegel said of the set piece goal. “It’s almost automatic that we’re going to work on those set pieces. Sometimes in the games they don’t come out well. They don’t turn out the way that we practice them, or that we hoped, a lot of times based on the defense too. And obviously, it’s been a while since I was able to score. But that doesn’t mean that the work ever stopped. Thankfully, it went in tonight, and just really happy with this whole team.”

Ruan tried to get his team right back in it, blazing down the right flank in the 54th minute and sending a fierce cross through the six, but it was in front of everyone and went out of play on the other side on a deflection by Orlando.

The Lions again immediately punished Dallas for missing an opportunity. Enrique took the ball away in the attacking end on an errant Dallas back pass and immediately sent the ball behind for Torres’ attacking run. Torres slowed down, took a look at goal, and passed the ball past Paes to make it 3-0 in the 55th minute.

With the goal, Torres tied Cyle Larin for the club’s all-time lead in goals across all competitions, with 44.

FC Dallas didn’t give up, rolling the dice with multiple substitutions and sending more numbers forward into the attack in a desperation move that backfired multiple times, but the Lions were unable to punish the hosts further, despite some good chances to do so.

Alan Velasco tried a blast from outside the area in the 63rd minute that required a Gallese save. Orlando City then got down the left side and Enrique won a free kick near the corner. The ball in bounced off a couple of players and Dallas looked to counterattack, but the Lions were able to recover defensively to stop the transition before it resulted in a chance.

Pareja sent Luis Muriel and Duncan McGuire on in the 65th minute for Enrique and Ojeda, and it nearly paid dividends right away. Angulo won a corner kick and the ball was initially cleared, but the Lions recovered and recycled the attack. Jansson ended up with the ball on the left side in the area and played it across for McGuire in front. The striker’s shot was saved by Paes’ foot from point-blank range as he hit it too straight with either side available in the 66th minute.

Moments later, the alarm bells rang in Orlando’s defensive third as Santos and Angulo were beaten in the box by Tsiki Ntsabeleng. A shot was headed inside the left post but Schlegel was there to block it and clear it away.

Muriel sent McGuire in behind in the 71st minute with a perfect through ball. Again McGuire was denied by Paes as his shot was soft and poorly placed, allowing the Dallas keeper to make the stop.

FC Dallas came right back the other way and Gallese had to make a save on a Musa shot.

Lodeiro subbed on for Cartagena in the 73rd minute and one of his first involvements threw Dallas a lifeline. Going for a loose ball in the box, he was beaten to it from his right side and he got the man instead of the ball, fouling Bernard Kamungo. Jair Marrufo awarded the penalty immediately.

Arriola waited for Gallese to commit and slotted it down the middle to make it 3-1 in the 78th minute.

Things got weird in the 80th minute as the Lions started to get beaten by runs in direct play. Gallese came out of his area to head away a ball over the top and got caught out when Dallas regained possession. Kamungo tried to score from distance but Gallese recovered and got his hand to it, knocking it out for a corner. Logan Farrington was left unattended at the near post on the set piece, but he missed the net with his header in the 81st minute. Musa then was all alone in front two minutes later but sent his header right at Gallese.

In the 85th minute, Musa came within inches of making it a one-goal game, smashing a wicked shot off the crossbar near the left post from a tight angle. Farrington won another Dallas corner in the 88th minute and this time second-half substitute Show was left alone at the near post but missed his header wide.

Dallas appeared to pull within 3-2 in the 90th minute. The ball was sent to Arriola out wide on the left and his cutback cross was put in by Farrington. Marrufo went to the monitor and found that Arriola was about a foot offside in the buildup, nullifying the goal by Farrington, who was booked for dissent after the call was made.

The hosts continued to look threatening during six minutes of stoppage time that grew to eight. Gallese did well to come off his line and get to a ball just in front of Kamungo in the 94th minute. Ntsabeleng sent a shot just wide in the 96th minute from outside the area.

McGuire again got in behind the defense in the 97th minute on another excellent ball from Muriel. This time, the big striker was on the left side. As he teed up a shot on his stronger right foot, Marco Farfan arrived to block it.

Farrington got one more good chance for Dallas in the 98th minute, but Gallese made the save. Orlando got the ball forward, and Marrufo blew the whistle for full time.

Orlando City ended the game with the advantage in possession (52.4%-47.6%), shots on goal (7-6), passing accuracy (90.3%-86.4%), and corners (7-6). With its late flurry, Dallas ended up with more total shot attempts (16-13).

“At the end, we started defending low. We lost control of the ball, and Dallas pushed, sent numbers and complicated those last 15 minutes,” Pareja said. “Credit to them too. I thought that they did a good job in that part, but once again, we’re happy. The game plan worked, and the boys clinched. And congratulations to everybody who is involved in our club and the fans.”

“Obviously, we’re very happy,” Schlegel said. “Our first goal for the year was to qualify for the playoffs and clinch a spot in the playoffs. So, obviously, we’re very happy and just very proud of every player in this group, and every member of the technical staff, and this whole group together.”

With the win, Orlando City has reached the postseason for the fifth consecutive season, qualifying every year since Pareja took over as head coach prior to the 2020 campaign.

The Lions return home Wednesday for a midweek match against the Philadelphia Union.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

In Praise of Orlando City’s Game 3 Penalty Kicks

The Lions employed some crafty strategy and flawless execution to win the Game 3 penalty shootout, and it deserves to be recognized.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 15, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Depending on who you talk to, penalty kicks aren’t a great way to decide a soccer game. They’re exciting, of course, but not exactly a good measuring stick of which team is more deserving of winning the game. Fortunately for Orlando City fans, the team has excelled at shootouts for the vast majority of its MLS existence. In fact, the Lions hadn’t lost one until this year, when they were bounced from Leagues Cup by Cruz Azul after losing 5-4 in penalties. The team then accomplished another first in Game 2 of the MLS Cup playoffs against Charlotte, when it missed three of four spot kicks, and lost 3-1 in penalties.

With recent history far from being in OCSC’s favor, there was plenty of reason to be pessimistic when the deciding Game 3 went to a shootout, but the Lions breezed right through it, winning by a score of 4-1 and sending Charlotte packing. While there’s only so much strategy you can employ in shootouts, the Lions pulled a couple fast ones that may just have given them a leg up when they needed it most.

Let’s first talk about the shootouts the Orlando has been involved in this year, because even before Game 3, there had been a lot. The Lions’ final two games in Leagues Cup were both decided at the penalty spot, with the good guys emerging victorious against San Luis 5-4, and then losing by that same score to Cruz Azul to exit the tournament. Game 2 against Charlotte was therefore the team’s third shootout of the year, and by that point we were starting to see some familiar faces in the team’s shooting lineup.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with sending the same (or mostly the same) guys up in a shootout. Conventional wisdom says that you want your best, most reliable guys from the spot taking penalties. However, if the opposing goalkeeper has done his research, and a player tends to favor shooting in a certain direction, it can potentially give the man between the sticks an advantage in making the save. Let’s examine who Orlando City sent to the spot this year in shootouts, starting with the two Leagues Cup games.

Against San Luis, the order went: Nico Lodeiro, Duncan McGuire, Wilder Cartagena, Rafael Santos, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. Lodeiro went central, McGuire went to the goalkeeper’s right, Cartagena to his left, Santos to his right, and Thorhallsson to his left. All five penalties were scored, but the keeper got a strong hand to Thorhallsson’s and it only just went in.

Against Cruz Azul, the order was: Robin Jansson, Luis Muriel, McGuire, Facundo Torres, and Thorhallsson. Jansson shot to the goalie’s left and had it saved, Lodeiro and Muriel both went to his right and scored, McGuire and Torres both went to his left and scored, and Thorhallsson went to his left and had it saved.

That brings us to Game 2 against Charlotte. The order was: Lodeiro, Jansson, Muriel, and McGuire. Nico shot to Kristijan Kahlina’s left and had it saved, Jansson went to his right and put his shot over the bar, Muriel also went right and scored, and McGuire went to the goalie’s left and had his shot saved.

Let’s pause for a minute and dig deeper into those Game 2 takers. Lodeiro had already taken two penalties on the year, and scored both. Jansson had taken one and had it saved, Muriel had taken one and scored, and McGuire had taken two and converted both. Interestingly enough, Kahlina also went the right way on Jansson’s shot, although the Swede put the ball over the bar. After taking penalties in the two previous shootouts and the goalies getting strong hands to both, Thorhallsson wasn’t used, but he couldn’t be, because he’d already been subbed off late in the second half. McGuire went to the goalie’s left for the second shootout in a row, with Kahlina guessing correctly and making the save.

In the all-important Game 3, the takers were: Muriel, Kyle Smith, Torres, and Santos. Muriel and Smith both went to Kahlina’s right, while Torres and Santos went to the Croatian’s left, with all four men scoring. It was Muriel’s third time in a shootout for the club, third time going to the goalie’s right, and third time converting. Smith made his first appearance from the spot on the year. It was Torres’ and Santos’ second time taking in a shootout this year and they both went left for the second time. Taking a closer look at each shooter, I really like the selection choices and the order in which they went.

While Kahlina had plenty of tape on Muriel by this point, the Colombian had already beaten him once, and the striker prefers to watch the goalkeeper during his run-up and go whichever way he doesn’t. That makes it especially difficult to save his penalties, and his years of high-level experience means he’s no stranger to high-pressure situations. You could hardly ask for a better first shooter to set the tone for what was to come.

We then got a big old wild card in the form of Smith, who hadn’t taken a penalty kick at all this year. Oscar Pareja could have chosen to use Jansson or Lodeiro, both of whom have taken multiple kicks this year and were still on the field, but he opted to go for someone who Kahlina both hadn’t seen already, and who he likely had very little, if any, tape on. It was a decision that paid off, as Smith positively blasted his kick into the top corner, with Kahlina guessing the wrong way on his dive.

We then got Torres, who would ordinarily be a no-brainer when it comes to taking penalty kicks if not for the fact that he’d just had one saved mere minutes earlier in stoppage time. Still, you want your main man to step up in high-pressure situations, so it wasn’t surprising to see him stepping forward to take one, particularly with the Lions already leading 2-0. He won the mental battle with Kahlina and went in his preferred direction to the left of the goalkeeper, with Kahlina guessing wrong again.

Finishing things off was Santos, who had only taken one penalty on the year and employs an unconventional, stuttering run-up. As he did in the San Luis game, the Brazilian went to the goalkeeper’s right and scored, with his penalty being the only one in which Kahlina dove the correct way. The decision to go with another player who there was little film on, especially one with a run-up that’s difficult to time correctly, again proved to be a decision that paid off.

We’ll never know who OCSC’s fifth taker would have been, as the shootout never got that far. We know it wouldn’t have been McGuire, who was being kept on the sideline after injuring his shoulder. I think it’s telling that Jansson and Lodeiro weren’t in the first four, even though both had already taken multiple shootout penalties on the season, and Thorhallsson was the only other player who had taken more than one kick in a shootout this year, and he had been substituted. My bet is on Cartagena, who had only taken one and scored it.

Regardless of what we don’t know, we can give the deserved amount of praise to what we do know. Namely, that the decision to use a mix of guys who are proven in high-pressure situations and ones who have few, if any, recent penalties on film was a strategy that paid off big time. Pedro Gallese also deserves every flower in the garden for the two saves he made, which absolutely made things easier on the takers. I think it’s interesting that Karol Swiderski took a spot kick for the second game in a row, with Gallese getting the better of him in Game 3 despite the Polish striker going to the Peruvian’s right instead of his left.

It’s also fair to say that the men who stepped up in Game 3 simply took better shots in than in Game 2. Nico’s wasn’t far enough in the corner and was a good height for Kahlina, Jansson put his completely over, and McGuire’s was too central and at a height that favored the goalkeeper. There were no such issues in Game 3, with every shot being well placed.

All in all, you couldn’t have drawn up the Game 3 shootout any better if you tried. Pareja threw a couple curveballs Charlotte’s way, Pedro Gallese made two huge saves, and all of the shooters came up with outstanding efforts. From strategy to execution, the shootout was about as perfect as you can get. Now here’s hoping that’s the last one we have to endure for awhile. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/15/24

Barbra Banda speaks about playing alongside Marta, USMNT beats Jamaica, international soccer roundup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

November 15, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday! I hope the week hasn’t been too rough on you as we gear up for what should be an exciting weekend. There aren’t too many plans lined up for me, but I’m still looking forward to being able to relax a bit over the next few days. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to our favorite Beefy Swede, Robin Jansson!

Barbra Banda on Playing With Marta

It’s an understatement to say it’s been a fantastic year for the Orlando Pride, and NWSL MVP finalists Barbra Banda and Marta have been major reasons for the team’s success. Marta has been with the Pride since 2017 and is thriving in what may be the twilight of her legendary career. Meanwhile, it’s Banda’s first year with the Pride and she’s taken the league by storm alongside Marta. In an interview with Futbol W, which is co-hosted by former Pride player Ali Krieger, Banda spoke about how motivating it is to play with the greatest women’s soccer player of all time.

Battle of the Rebuilds in NWSL Playoffs

Of the four teams remaining in the NWSL playoffs, only NJ/NY Gotham FC was in the playoffs last year. Not only are this year’s semifinalists a testament to how much things can change each year, but it’s also an interesting showcase of the different ways clubs can build a team capable of winning in this league. The Pride capped off a patient and smart rebuild by signing international players like Banda, while the Current have benefited greatly from adding Temwa Chawinga. After winning the NWSL Championship last year, Gotham added several American stars like Rose Lavelle and Crystal Dunn in free agency to do it again. Meanwhile, the Washington Spirit have leaned on a strong rookie class and other young players to reach this point.

USMNT Beats Jamaica in Nations League

The United States Men’s National Team got its quarterfinal series started with a solid 1-0 win over Jamaica in Kingston. Ricardo Pepi scored the lone foal of the game early on with a nice strike after a silky smooth assist from Christian Pulisic. Matt Turner came up with a great save on a penalty kick in the first half, earning a clean sheet the hard way. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable victory for Mauricio Pochettino and the Yanks, but winning on the road in Concacaf is hardly ever comfortable. The two teams will reconvene in St. Louis on Monday with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Keeping Up With International Soccer

The U.S. obviously isn’t the only nation taking part in the international break, with teams all around the world in action. Paraguay arguably had the biggest win of the day, beating Argentina 2-1 in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying. Venezuela also had a decent result, drawing 1-1 against Brazil in a match that included a missed penalty by Vinicius Junior.

In 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Nigeria, Tunisia, South Africa, Uganda, and Gabon all booked their tickets to next year’s tournament after the latest round of matches. Saudi Arabia and Australia battled to a scoreless draw in AFC World Cup qualifying, while South Korea moved closer to qualifying after a 3-1 win over Kuwait that featured Son Heung-min’s 50th international goal. There weren’t too many surprises in the UEFA Nations League, with England cruising past Greece and Italy beating Belgium. France was held to a scoreless draw against Israel but still qualified for the quarterfinals.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

November 14, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

Continue Reading

Trending